Four Students Win Scholastic Art Awards

Portner won her Gold Key Award in the Photography category for a shot she took of artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg’s installation memorializing the lives lost due to COVID-19. Her photograph, which she titled “The American Nightmare,” also earned a nomination for an American Visions Award. Only five artworks from the Maryland Art Region are selected for this honor.

Portner will advance to the National Competition by virtue of her Gold Key Award. National award winners will be announced this spring.

Other honorees are Maddie Diamond '23, who received a Silver Key Award in Photography and an Honorable Mention Award in Photography; Tyler George '21, who received an Honorable Mention Award in Drawing and Illustration; and Christina Wray '21, who received a Silver Key Award in Mixed Media.

Earlier this year, Wray was invited to reflect on the impact of creating her winning entry, "Misunderstood

“‘Misunderstood’ was my first true challenge, as I attempted to tackle portraying a mental disorder that was fairly foreign to me. More than producing a thought-provoking piece, I taught myself new concepts," Wray said. "The St. Andrew's visual arts program has truly given me the freedom to fuse concepts that I am passionate about into artwork for others to analyze.”